1.   A source close to the defense team said the no contest plea was a key element in plea bargain negotiations.

2.   An assistant U.S. attorney, Ken Melton, refused to comment Wednesday on the status of plea negotiations.

3.   Anderson followed plea negotiations in imposing the sentence.

4.   Before trial, plea negotiations between the two sides stalled when they could not agree on a prison term.

5.   But he canceled that date in mid-May to allow the plea negotiations to proceed.

6.   But in a statement issued early Friday, Brosnahan said there had been no discussions with the government about plea negotiations.

7.   Court-ordered plea negotiations have gone nowhere.

8.   Defense lawyers representing Fajardo agreed to some of the delays during plea negotiations with the government.

9.   Federal prosecutors and lawyers for Robert Hanssen, the FBI agent charged with spying for Russia, have opened plea bargain negotiations, government officials said on Tuesday.